AI Isn’t Killing Content Marketing. Lazy Writers Are.

ChatGPT and other AI content writing services are challenging the human element of content marketing. Here’s how smart copywriters are using AI to stay relevant — rather than letting AI make them obsolete.

“When used together, SEO and content marketing can be powerful tools for businesses to increase their online visibility, build relationships, and generate leads. When used correctly, they can be powerful drivers of growth, helping businesses to reach the right people and generate…”

Ugh. I can’t even finish pasting it. That opening paragraph was written by AI, and it says absolutely nothing.

The Internet is filling up with AI-generated copy that is — by definition — mindless. But boy, is it great for search engines. As a result, lazy writers are spinning page after page of AI text and passing it off as quality content.

The freelance copywriting community suffers immensely from “AI churners”. Here’s the vicious cycle it’s created on platforms like Upwork:

A business owner needs content creation and hires the cheapest contractor with a quick turnaround time on Upwork.

That contractor spins content in AI, does a quick edit and delivers the finished product in outstanding time.

The business owner’s content does one of two things: (a) It rates well on Google but doesn’t sound human, or (b) It doesn’t even blip Google’s radar.

Customers don’t engage with the content. It sounds “inhuman”, or they can’t even find it.

The business owner loses trust in the freelance community and stops hiring other writers.

Copywriters and digital marketing strategists, meanwhile, are left in a tough spot. Do they stick to their guns and lose out to lower bids, or churn article content artificially and lose credibility?

I know, I know. I sound like a whiny freelancer right now. But I’m not here to **** on AI. I promise. In fact, I’m about to tell you why artificial intelligence is an integral part of a modern content strategy.

But before I can do that, I have to explain why you can’t trust AI to write your content for you.

5 Reasons Why AI Can’t Write Your Content For You.

(Note: You can find some of this content — and content much like it — in its original form on my business blog.)

#1: “AI copy” Google searches are trending the wrong way.

It’s easy to claim I’m biased against AI copywriting — after all, we’re humans. So let’s ask a slightly more objective source: Google.

Search engine queries regarding AI copywriting tools reveal a growing distrust among users. This is a Google search conducted the date this article was published, with the keyword “ai copywriting”:

Google autofills keyword phrases based on popular search queries. When 2 of the top autofill suggestions are “AI copywriting checker” and “AI copywriting detector” — well, that’s not exactly a sign of user trust.

On the contrary, it’s a sign that employers don’t want their writers and freelance content creators taking AI-related shortcuts. Imagine paying someone a competitive rate for content creation, only to find the work was generated by an AI chatbot.

There is good reason for employers and marketing executives to be skeptical of AI content. Some of it may be downright misleading.

#2: AI generated content can’t (fully) fact-check itself.

Nieman Labs published a fantastic article about AI fact checking in late 2022. It discusses the rollout of algorithmic fact checking, which is a vital tool against disinformation campaigns and forged videos. So what’s the problem?

“A quote might be accurate, but misleading,” the article explains. AI’s ability to fact check is based on a benchmark data set, which allows the program to measure content’s accuracy against other sources.

But what happens if that collected data is incorrect — or if new information changes the narrative? Keep in mind that bad actors have the same access to AI as reliable writers. There’s currently no way for AI writing tools to outpace misinformation, or to provide context.

Theres AI copywriting tools. AI content platform developers are creating and perfecting writing tools that will make keyword research, header creation, and content marketing analysis more effic iae nlti ‘(and less expensive).

Context, after all, is what creates great copy.

Ultimately, AI copy is at the mercy of its sources — and its ability to judge the credibility of those sources is a work in progress. We aren’t saying it can’t get there. It’s simply not there quite yet.

#3: Generative AI is not built for long form content.

The longer you let artificial intelligence talk, the more artificial it sounds. It’s easier to pass off AI-created small blurbs or social media posts as authentic content, as there’s less margin for error.

If you need long form content, articles or content marketing copy, things can get a little sticky. If there’s human content (or at least editing) done to an AI-generated piece of copy, there are going to be awkward passages.

Medium calls over-reliance on AI copywriting “business killing”. It’s not an overstatement. If you aren’t constantly checking long-form content for grammatical errors and plagiarism, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Imagine your employers run your blog post through an AI copy detector and find plagiarized content? That sounds awful… but what happens if they don’t check, and you’re accused of plagiarism by outside sources? Nightmare fuel.

There’s a chance your AI content is seamless, sure. But even in a perfect world, artifically created copy still can’t provide one thing — genuine emotion.

#4: Content marketing relies on emotions. AI doesn’t have them.

Users can tell AI what to talk about. They can enter keywords, target or reject language by adjusting filters. So to some degree, you can tell AI writing tools what to say.

But you can’t tell them how to say it.

Facts are lovely. But emotion drives conversions. You can organize AI generated content to seem logical, and even somewhat man-made. But no amount of logic is going to call your target audience to action.

“Power doesn’t come from content, power comes from the content that moves.” — Mark Schaefer

So you’ve got 20,000 words worth of blog posts in the blink of an eye. What good is a single one of those words if it doesn’t inspire confidence, love, or emotion?

No matter how factual or logical AI copy is, it’s going to take human intervention to make it powerful. Speaking of which…

#5: That AI content isn’t going to edit itself, y’know.

The punchline is that no matter how fast AI spins content, a human copywriter has to edit any flaws that reveal themselves in the copy.

Does the content contain incorrect statements or unintentional plagiarism? A human writer has to fix that.

Is the content stilted, awkward to read, or mechanical-sounding? A human has to fix that.

Weak calls to action, soulless brand stories, a lack of connection with the audience — you get the picture.

You’re inevitably going to pay a copywriter to fix AI generated content, so why pay for AI copy in the first place?

I’m sure by now it sounds like I hate artificial intelligence. Well…

That’s why what I’m about to say will surprise the heck out of you. If you want to be a good content marketer or copywriter today, you absolutely must use AI in your content creation process.

It’s not about letting AI write content for you. As with all good things, the value of artificial intelligence in SEO friendly content marketing is all about context.

The Right Way to Use AI For SEO and Content Marketing.

Can AI replace copywriters? No — at least not anytime soon. But AI technology has a great deal of value within the content marketing process if it’s properly applied.

The reason distrust in AI writing tools is on the rise isn’t a software issue. An AI writing assistant is just that — an assistant. Your job is to figure out how that assistant can best help you create memorable, engaging content.

In this instance, the answer is keyword research.

AI Keyword Research is a Content Marketer’s Best Friend

It’s all about syllogism, my friends. Great content marketing requires sound SEO strategy. Sound SEO strategy is rooted in optimized keyword research.

So — say it with me now — great content marketing requires optimized keyword research. And no human does that better than a great AI service.

You simply can’t do the legwork that artificial intelligence does when it comes to keyword generation. AI will find more relevant keywords for your focus topic in 15 seconds than you will in 15 hours.

It’s the first step to SEO success. High quality content creation for blog posts or long form articles is rooted in the words and phrases that search engines value.

Modern SEO Content Strategy Requires AI Keyword Generation

Man, do I love MarketMuse. (I love it so much that I’m debating whether or not to tell you I use it. It gives me that much of a competitive edge.) It’s scalable, it’s user-friendly, and it provides a pristine keyword pathway for me to dance down as I create each article.

You don’t have to use MarketMuse. But if you want to be a credible content marketer or copywriter, you must find an AI keyword assistant to guide your writing process.

I type in my focus keyword or phrase, hit enter, and boom — 20 to 25 relevant keywords appear for my consideration. AI isn’t doing my writing for me. It’s just telling me where the Google search console wants my writing to go.

After all, if Google isn’t reading my content marketing campaign… nobody will.

Great Content Is Content That People Actually Read.

The best article ever written is floating around the Internet somewhere. It’s brimming with knowledge that will change lives. It’s written eloquently by a brilliant author.

And no one’s reading it. So who cares?

If a simple Google search result can’t find your writing, then your writing may as well not exist.

Yes, that stinks. As a writer, I hate it. But hating a fact doesn’t make it any less true. Search engines are today’s Yellow Pages, and nobody’s calling your business if your content is unlisted.

If you’ve read this article to the end, I can safely assume you care deeply about the quality of your writing. You also care deeply about people discovering — and loving — your words.

You don’t have to sacrifice the human aspect of your writing to be found. In fact, I’m begging you not to do that. I’m simply inviting you to engage with AI the way it’s meant to be used — as a killer SEO tool for keyword cultivation and optimized content.

It’s time to create content designed to make humans and AI say “wow”. Whether it’s for heightened brand awareness or your own work, you deserve to see your work deliver results.